Top Retailers

WASHINGTON — RetireSafe, a 400,000-supporter strong grassroots organization that advocates and educates on behalf of America's seniors on issues regarding Social Security, Medicare, health and financial well-being, on Friday issued a press release urging Express Scripts to return to the negotiating table and come to an agreement with Walgreens.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — It's been a big week for Walgreens. Following its exit from Express Scripts' pharmacy network, the pharmacy retailer introduced a new program to help patients either keep their pharmacy home at Walgreens or to help transition them to a new pharmacy. Why help transition customers to the competition? Because it's the right thing to do. As Greg Wasson told DSN editor Rob Eder in an exclusive interview, "our No. 1 priority is to take care of patients."

MINNEAPOLIS — Target revealed Thursday the locations of the first 24 Canadian stores.

Target said the stores will open in March/early April 2013 and will be located in Brampton, Mississauga and Toronto, among others. Additional locations will be announced in the coming months.

NEW YORK — Wall Street calls for the breakup of CVS Caremark? Nope, not so fast.

About a year after analysts called for the split of CVS Caremark's PBM business, they now are changing their tune on the heels of the company's 2011 Analyst Day presentation on Dec. 20.

In fact, shares of CVS Caremark ended 2011 up 17% and, as Dow Jones Newswires reported, is trading at a roughly 3-and-a-half-year high.

MATTHEWS, N.C. — Momentum remains on the side of Family Dollar, as the company late Thursday reported another quarter of record sales and profits and the opening of 101 units, which included its first stores in California.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — One of the most enduring rules of business is that when customers stop coming through the door, then the time has come for a reinvention.

Recent decisions by Sears Holdings indicate that despite its financial problems, it's not too late for a comeback. The hiring of Ron Boire to head merchandising could give it new direction, while the introduction of the Fitness Flagship store-within-a-store allows Sears to capitalize on an area in which it has long specialized while taking advantage of the growing interest in health and wellness.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Thursday reported an approximate 150 basis-point negative impact on prescriptions filled based on prescription transfers, and other trend analysis of prescriptions managed by Express Scripts, as the chain posted its first monthly earnings statement following the discontinuation of Walgreens' relationship with Express Scripts. That represents an increase from a 110 basis-point impact in November, but falls short of the 200 basis-point impact projected by Credit Suisse research analyst Ed Kelly earlier this week.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings recently finished its latest "Fitness Flagship" store-within-a-store, which it now has at more than 30 Sears stores, the retailer said.

Sears Holdings, which operates the Sears and Kmart store chains, said the 6,000-sq.-ft. stores feature polished hardwood stores, tall mirrors and expanded fitness equipment layouts designed to resemble a gym.